Low Back Pain and Balance

What do low back pain
and balance have to do with one another? Well, a lot! First (and most
obvious), poor balance can lead to falling, which is the number one
cause of injuries after the age of 70 (which includes low back pain).
Unfortunately, as we age, we lose both balance AND bone density – a
double whammy when it comes to falling as this combination can result in
fractures of the vertebra, commonly in the lower back region. Below is a
chart that shows what the “normal” length of time we should be able to
stand on one foot (eyes open and eyes closed):

As
this chart illustrates, over time, we rapidly lose our ability to
balance, especially when we close our eyes. In fact, many of us cannot
stand on one leg with our eyes closed for more than a few seconds well
before the age of 59! Try it! Stand up in a corner of a room or in a
doorway where you can grab onto the wall or door jams if you lose your
balance. (We certainly do not want you to fall during this test!) Look
at your watch or a clock with a second hand and count out loud in time
with each second on the clock, “one thousand one, one thousand two, one
thousand three, …..”—you get the idea. Once you have the rhythm down,
try counting first with your eyes open for up to 30 seconds and then try
it again but with your eyes closed. Quite different, isn’t it? Now,
switch legs and try it again – eyes open first and then eye closed
counting in time with the passing of each second. If you’re not pleased
with your performance, try it over again a few times. If you’re like
most of us, you may feel a little inadequate right now. Most of us need
to start including some “balance exercises” into our daily routine.

So,
why is it that we lose our balance so easily as we age? This is mostly
because we become less active or more sedentary as we advance in age,
partially because we’re not interested in doing activities that require
balance, but also because of fears, like of falling down. Remember, when
we were young(er), we romped around and bounce off walls and fell all
the time. It was “routine” to come home from school with grass stains on
our knees and backyard sports always resulted in falling, sometimes
pretty hard! Rolling down a hill to purposely getting dizzy was quite
attractive to us as kids – but certainly not now! In fact, getting on
the floor to play with the grand kids usually leaves us sore for at
least a few days. Now, I’m not suggesting we all run out and start
rolling down hills, jump up and down, or purposely fall down but
including active “balance” exercises into our daily routine is THE LEAST
we should do. So, go for a brisk walk or a slow jog, ride a bike, walk
in the park on uneven ground – it’s good for our “proprioception!”

Members of ChiroTrust® have taken “The ChiroTrust Pledge”: “To the best of my ability, I agree to provide my patients convenient, affordable, and mainstream Chiropractic care. I will not use unnecessary long-term treatment plans and/or therapies.”

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This information should not be substituted for medical or chiropractic advice. Any and all health care concerns, decisions, and actions must be done through the advice and counsel of a health care professional who is familiar with your updated medical history.